The Heiress With Seven Secret Identies (Stella Shaw) novel Chapter 100

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Chapter 100 A Daughter’s Concern

“What happened to your hand?”

Stella didn’t dance around it.

“Don’t worry. I’d never hurt you.”

He watched her carefully, his gentle eyes holding something else too–fear. Fear of her reaction.

“You hurt yourself. On purpose.”

Something twisted in her chest. Her breath caught.

“I’m a doctor. You can’t hide it from me. And I don’t like being lied to.”

Jasper’s eyes softened. Was that concern he heard in her voice? For him?

“After your mother disappeared, I never stopped looking.” His voice was quiet, steady. “As time went on, I started seeing things. Hallucinations. I’d see her standing right next to me. Sometimes the guilt would get too heavy–thinking I failed her, failed to protect her—and I’d…” He trailed off, then closed his eyes briefly “It’s severe depression. Clinical.”

He looked at her again, searching her face. “Don’t be scared. I’m getting treatment. I would never–could never–hurt you.”

Stella’s eyes stung. She looked away, steadying herself.

She thought about her mother. Even with her memory gone, she’d worked herself to exhaustion for Derek, just so he wouldn’t touch her.

She thought about the despair in her mother’s eyes at the end–when it all came back. How much pain she must have felt in those final moments.

Neither of them had failed the other. It was the world that failed them. Reality ripped them apart and left them bleeding, with no chance to say goodbye.

“Was it worth it?”

“What?” He looked confused.

“Fighting your family. Cutting ties. Walking away from everything and starting over with nothing. All for my mom. Twenty–two years, and you could’ve been with anyone. But you stayed alone.”

Jasper smiled. Quiet. Gentle.

“Yes. Because she was Nicole.”

His eyes went soft, overflowing with tenderness. His tired face lit up from inside. Just saying her name seemed to wrap him in warmth.

Stella felt it–the truth of it. The weight.

Chapter 100 A Daughter’s Concern

65 Pol

This was Jasper Moore. Born into privilege, gifted, graceful, carrying himself like nobility but always kin always approachable. Surrounded by temptation his whole life, and he’d stayed faithful to one person. T a ghost.

Learning she was gone had turned his hair white overnight.

If her mother could see him now–could see how broken he was–it would destroy her.

Stella took a breath and pushed the heaviness down.

“Stop hurting yourself.”

Jasper’s eyes widened. Surprise. Hope.

His smile came like a soft breeze. “Okay. I’ll listen to you. Dad will.”

“Let me see.”

He hesitated. “Stella, you don’t—”

“You don’t want me to?“.

He shook his head quickly. “No. I do.”

He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the scars–jagged, layered, shocking.

Stella’s brow pulled together. “Give me your address. I’ll make you a scar cream. Custom formula.”

“You don’t have to trouble yourself.”

She looked at him coolly, head tilted.

A beat. Then Jasper nodded. “Dad listens to you. Whatever you say.”

At the next table, Cody stared.

He’d never seen Jasper like this. So… compliant. One look from her and he folded.

“Your health is severely depleted. I’ll help you recover. I’ll deduct the cost from the card you gave me.”

“Okay.”

Stella went quiet, focusing on her food.

Jasper watched her–soft, careful, wanting to speak but not knowing how.

She set down her fork and met his hesitant gaze. “You want to ask about Mom.”

“If it’s too hard-” He started to pull back. “We don’t have to talk about it.”

He could find out on his own. He wouldn’t make her relive it.

Chapter 100 A Daughter’s Concern

Pain flickered in Stella’s eyes. Then she looked at him directly.

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“She did everything she could to give me a good childhood. Taught me everything she knew. Later, I met people–masters in different fields. They were always impressed. She made sure I could stand on my own.

Even if I was alone.”

Jasper’s throat tightened. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Nicole. Trapped in that place, protecting their daughter, keeping her safe, keeping her whole.

Nicole.

Every time he thought about what she went through, something inside him tore open again.

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